Faustin-Archange Touadéra, the leader of the Central African Republic, thanked Vladimir Putin on Thursday for Russia’s security support and asked for assistance in addressing the country’s serious energy challenges during talks at the Kremlin, reported by Reuters.
Touadéra told Putin that Russia’s security presence in the country helped make possible the December election that returned him to office for another seven-year term.
Russia’s expanding security involvement in parts of Africa has raised concern among Western governments and has increasingly replaced the influence once held by France and the United States.
Russia’s Africa Corps, a paramilitary force that replaced the former Wagner Group mercenary network, operates in several African countries including Mali, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic.
Touadéra also expressed gratitude to Russia for donating grain and fuel and said his country hopes to receive further support.
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“Today, the Central African Republic faces a major challenge in the field of energy, and the Russian Federation has a great deal of expertise in these matters,” he said at the beginning of the meeting.
Putin said the two countries had strong potential to deepen cooperation in energy, agriculture and infrastructure.
Russia has been working to expand its political and economic influence across Africa as part of a broader strategy to strengthen ties with developing nations following its break with most Western countries after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Touadéra won the December presidential election in the chronically unstable Central African Republic after campaigning on his security record and relying on support from Rwandan troops as well as Russian forces.
The main opposition coalition boycotted the vote, arguing that the election process would not be fair.
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Image Credit: Reuters
